Troublesome
by Anayaah1611
Summary: "7 billion people in the world and the one I had to fall for was you." Jughead Betty (Riverdale inspired) Hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone!

So after having watched just three episodes of Riverdale, I have begun to ship Jughead and Betty (smh).

This is just a short oneshot I came up with for this ship. Also, I should probably mention that you will see a shadow of the comics in this, but it doesn't hold true to it.

Also, English is not my first language, so forgive my errors! Thank you for reading and I'm looking forward to your reviews!

* * *

 **Troublesome**.

It was all so troublesome.

And he wasn't just referring to the insane amounts of secrets that were being revealed one after the other either.

Since last summer, everything had gone very wrong very fast and the dark haired adolescent disliked vexing emotions more than the wrong sauce in his burger.

Okay, that was debatable.

But unlike food - which had proven to be the easiest form of attachment to him - humans were complicated.

They created strains in relationships by matters that could be avoided without any fussing over. But of course, if the human race had enough sense to quietly settle issues, there would be no stories to tell.

Or in his current predicament, a case to investigate.

Most had mourned the loss of a star pupil or a close friend, but personally the teenager had very few condolences to offer. In all his time in Riverdale High - and being the introvert he was - the boy did not recall talking to him more than twice, something he came to regret not because Jason Blossom was sadly no more, but because he had left very little clues and could not help them from beyond the grave.

Quite a terrible thought to have?

Anybody that had ever held a conversation with the unsocial high schooler would see a cynical, sardonic, human hating piece of trash, but all he could ever observe in himself was somebody who had long since accepted the dark reality of human existence.

And hardly anybody could deny it now.

With the horrors of a brutal murder haunting their sleep, every soul in Riverdale had begun to darken. Fear exposes one's deepest thoughts.

Quite true, he mused.

But he was stupid to not think that everybody meant everybody.

The only person he had ever trusted, the one he thought he'd laugh this off with, ended up being the first person to drastically transform, creating a giant rift between them and their clashing personalities.

He had prided himself over A, who had been his friend since forever and the quiet boy had expected it would be that way.

But he had learnt from his time watching people that no one can assure something they can't even see.

 _Forever was a lie._

Shoving the entire burger in his mouth, he continued to type away on his laptop, distracting himself from the hustle and bustle of the world outside Pop's.

He was almost always more calm in his own little bubble of reality.

I say 'almost' because since last summer, there was another radicle change.

And this time, it was him.

The cynical teen couldn't place why he would take such an idiotic step, but he had done it. It had happened.

And it was all thanks to a certain blonde woman.

"Juggie?"

That idiotic name. That idiotic name only one person in the whole wide world was allowed to call him.

Having had limited contact with people, it was only natural that he understood nothing about boys his age or the fact that the growing discomfort in the air at her presence wasn't due to a badly burnt burger, but his instincts trying to kick him in the face.

And he chose to ignore it.

Fingers violently typed out a text in nervous energy. Why. Why was his reaction to her always so intense?

"Betty."

He made a slight nod of acknowledgement ,so she went ahead and sat in his booth. He hardly ever looked up from the screen and Betty was no stranger to this, so it was alright to not say anything.

Wasn't it?

Typing a random string of words, he peeked from behind the screen at the girl sitting across him. Silky golden locks were pulled back into a single ponytail, eyes blue as spring rain gazed at the evening sky in silence and her carved pink lips remained slightly open as if she was articulating what to say next.

And he was right.

"Did you read the front page of our newspaper today?"

He dunk his head straight back into work when he realised she was about to turn her head in his direction.

"Does it have anything pertaining to our research?"

He hardly had any attachments to the real world and the cyan eyed beauty knew better than anyone to not annoy him with more information than necessary.

"No," she scowled, turning to look at the counter.

"But it has something to do with Polly."

Her sister was a very touchy subject to Betty, who hadn't seen her since the entire incident. Thanks to her over ambitious mother, the blonde had begun to blame her sister for every wrong that happened in her life, even if they were completely irrelevant matters.

Sighing, Jughead opened another window and browsed the school site. Online publication made everything easier for him, since he hardly ever had to appear in public. Clicking on it, he read the front cover.

 _ **"Major exposé : Football team's extra activities."**_

As he skimmed through the article, his eyes grew wider by the second.

 _Book. Girl. Count._ _Challenge._

Realisation dawned on him.

So that's what it was all about.

A small "ah!" had escaped his mouth and caught Betty's attention.

"What?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she eyed him quizzically.

His mind raced back to the memory of a time he wanted to forget.

The only time he ever was in contact with Jason Blossom.

* * *

Changing rooms were often the reason Jughead stayed the hell away from physical exertions.

It was one tiny shut prison filled with teenagers showing off their summer abs and other useless things that to him held no value whatsoever. By this time, he would always feel overwhelmed by his cheery peers and leave.

And he intended to do exactly that today too, except nothing worked out in his favour.

"Hey man, let's get another girl down today!"

Chuck Clayton's annoying loud voice got on Jug's nerves, but he remained silent, biting back an insult.

He loved his eyes while they were in his sockets, thank you very much.

"Sure," a softer one replied.

"I'm bored anyway."

Jason Blossom. The boy was an entire bundle of mysteries, but most just thought of him as a nice, outgoing, ideal teenager.

Which was all a façade, Jug could tell.

He held a mountain of secrets behind that happy, good boy face and the sardonic teenager had learnt to stay away from people like that.

Still waters run deep, eh?

"How about Cooper?"

He snapped back to reality at the mention of her, now clearly interested in what these world class assholes were planning.

"Betty Cooper?"

Jason looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Not a bad idea. She looks like a good way to pass time."

The Raven haired boy dug his hands into his pockets, resisting the urge to throw a punch at the disgrace of creation.

They wanted to play around with Betty.

Jughead Jones was never a person to allow human relationships to get to him, yet for some reason one person remained exempt from all his rules.

 _ **Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper**_.

Since they were children, he had no choice but to hang out with her given that she was Archie's playmate. Slowly though, he found himself warming up to the simple girl who hardly ever argued and was never a pain to deal with.

She demanded nothing but companionship and their time, so he gladly sat around watching them with a ghost of a smile adorning his features.

Whenever Archie and he would have even the smallest argument, Betty would come to the rescue sorting it all out and forcing them (very embarrassingly) to shake hands and end it all.

At first, he had thought she felt obligated to stay with him because of Archie, but one day alone with her was enough proof that she considered him a kindred spirit.

With everyday they spent in each other's company, Jug began to feel himself get closer to the girl.

Maybe a little too close.

"Let's make a deal!"

The teen snapped out of his thoughts, raising an eyebrow at the words.

"Whoever wins the next swimming match, will get to ask Betty Cooper out on a date."

Cheers echoed in the changing room at the settlement, the hungry douches clearly excited for the outcome.

Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, Jughead opened his locker to pull out the headphones he had placed there.

He was leaving, leaving the annoying crowd of teenagers that was an environment he didn't enjoy.

He was leaving them to their own michiefs.

None of this was his business.

None of it at all.

Yet, he found himself near the pool, the light from the Sun shone directly on his face, causing him to squint.

Why would he willingly get himself involved?

"Hey Jughead,"

The boy looked over his shoulder at the much taller teenager smirking to himself.

"Out to swim with the fishes today?"

The sheer stupidity of his words made the boy shake his head in disbelief.

How can anybody's IQ be so low?

"Though I don't think you have enough brain cells to understand, Reggie,"

Jughead slipped the shirt off his head, folding it and carefully laying it on one of the benches.

"You don't find fishes in the school swimming pool."

Clearly red-faced, Reggie snorted and pushed past Jug with his well-built body, winking at the girls that stood nearby.

He didn't notice their disgusted faces.

Jason stepped into the pool, his muscular body glistening in the Sun. He was a master at most sports and swimming, Jughead reckoned, would be just an entertaining pastime to him. Most of the others 'competing' were on the swim team.

Stepping near the ladder that lead into the water, the lean boy stared deeply into the water, letting the calm ripples soothe his angered mind.

Before he could take a step further though, he felt a push, falling flat on the water.

Breaking out to the surface, he could make out the faces of Chuck and his goonies laughing at him.

Why had he gotten himself into this mess?

"Baby Jug wants to swim too?"

Water dripped down every strand of his dark hair that he smoothed down with open palms.

"Like your names says, Chuck,"

Hazel eyes stared daggers at his bully.

"Don't mind me."

Swimming off to one of the tracks, he positioned himself.

"You should stay out of the competition."

Jason Blossom took the one right next to him,dipping to get accustomed to the temperature.

Jug scoffed.

"Your concern is unnecessary. There is one thing I'd like though,"

As everybody prepared to kick-start, Jug glared at the blonde one last time before joining the competitors.

"If I win, you'll stay the hell away from Betty."

Feet violently kicked the water, arms sweeping the length of the pool. It was a usual 50m and many had already got a headstart.

Jason was one of them.

Everytime Jug broke out to inhale, he could sense Jason move faster than ever.

Everybody underestimated the unsocial teen and maybe that was his advantage. Jug had always found the water calming and used to swim alone when Archie would be pre occupied.

Still, Jason was just another level of amazing, his form was like that of a dolphin, as if the water was where he belonged.

Reaching the other end a little later than the others, Jug was slowly losing confidence.

"Juggie?!"

For just a split second, their eyes met. It felt like he was looking into the ocean, as if it was calling out to him. Her beautiful features held a mixture of emotions.

 _ **Concern, Fear, Worry, Surprise.**_

It was all for her.

Pushing deeper into the water this time, he swam with all the force his arms could muster.

He wanted her to see.

Jason popped out to breathe and noticed Jug approaching him with increasing speed.

 _Just a little more_ , the raven head told himself, feeling his muscles strain painfully.

 _Just a **little** more._

Jughead pushed past the rest, motivated by nothing but the calls of a single woman.

A single woman who was twisting him around her finger.

The next time Jason looked up, Jughead had long since past him and edged closer to the finish line.

Admitting defeat, Jason slowed down, the others were still far behind.

"You won." He said, grinning like a fool and Jug glared.

"I did."

Climbing out of the pool, the champion reached for his shirt, only to be blinded by the white towel that covered his head.

"Juggie!"

He froze, feeling her slim fingers rub his hair with the towel in slow motions.

 _Sweet Jesus._

"You were brilliant! I didn't know you could swim so well!"

 _Yeah, because you were always looking at Archie._

As the towel drifted lower, reaching for his bare body, he pulled out of her grasp, taking the towel with him.

"Thanks."

At least twenty other people told him how amazing he was and contrary to their beliefs, it didn't make him happy in the least.

He hated being in the limelight.

"Jughead!"

Jason ran up to him, drying his dusty blonde hair.

"You win. I'll do as you say."

Without paying him any attention, the teen continued out of the arena.

He needed out of this stuffy place.

"Why, though? Why would you fight so hard for her?"

Stepping into the changing room, his classic smug look founds its way on his face.

"Felt like being a good Samaritan for a change."

* * *

"Juggie? I'm asking you something!"

The train of his thoughts rammed into a wall as Betty waved her hand in front of his face.

Pop's was empty and his burger had gone cold.

"Did you know about this?"

Jug cocked his head to one side and quirked his eyebrows.

"I have no interest in human interactions. You think I would care?"

Betty heaved a sigh of relief.

Unbeknownst to her, so did Jug, glad that he had taken action that day. Had he not stopped them, Betty would have been in her sister's place.

Even having to do something he disliked the most, if it was for her, he would probably walk through a desert singing songs without a drop of water.

 _These emotions were troublesome_.

"I was wrong, you know," Jug said out loud. Betty looked up from the stacks of research paper she'd been viewing with a raised eyebrow.

 _Seven_ _billion people in the world and the one I had to fall for was you._

"You really are a pain."

* * *

I hope you liked it ! Location forward to your reviews. Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello everyone!

And before I say anything else **OH MY GOD. Thank you so much for your beautiful reviews!** Let me now take the time to reply to them!

 **Nymphadora-era :** _Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it! I intend to write many more because I cannot get this ship out of my head!_

 **BabiiSCARS23:** _Thank you!_

 **Guest :** _Thank you! Haha yes, English is not my first language and I'm glad you think I can write well!_

 **BiffyClyro:** _Yayy! I'm glad you liked it!_

 **Mellimon** : _I'm flattered you thought so! It was a little hard to be as cynical as he is, but it was fun!_

 **M :** _Yayy! This isn't the same story, but another one for you! Thank you!_

 **Bway-girl25: THANK** _YOU SO MUCH! I'm glad I could pull it off!_

 **Alba05:** _Thank you so much! The only problem is, I'm terrible at updating, so one-shots suit me best. I hope you like them nevertheless!_

 **J-walker :** _Yes! I put the link up there because I wanted to reach a larger audience of fans. Thank you for giving it a shot!_

 _And_ with this, I bring you another snippet from the Riverdale TV series.

All hail BUGHEAD!

* * *

 ** _Riverdale_**.

Once a town known for nothing more than Pop's delicious burgers, it was now infamous as the site of a gruesome crime.

The murder of Jason Blossom.

In the weeks after the tragic discovery of the teenager's body, an uncomfortable silence had befallen the town and it's very afraid people.

 _Was there a killer among us?_

But as all the residents bolted their doors shut, wrapped themselves in their quilts and drifted off to dreamland at night, only one person sat up investigating a case with lesser clues than alphabets in his name.

 **Me**.

Biting into the burger, I stretched my arms in exhaustion having been sitting in the same damn position for god knows how long. I gulped down my fortieth (give or take a few zeroes) cup of coffee in the span of two hours, opening the case file and beginning to reread the key points.

 _Drowning. Gunshot. 11th July._

Underneath them, I scanned the notes I had created for easy access. It was the most efficient way to work in my opinion; a freedom I had been promised.

Handling evidence from a murder case would probably be terrifying to most, but it ignited a thirst for knowledge in my heart.

Was that sane ? Maybe not, but after being made blatantly aware of my abnormal interests, I had stopped questioning them.

Running a quick glance over everything on the screen, I was supposed to end for the day.

That was till my eyes fell on one of the words.

 _ **Archie**_.

This one keypoint - and its importance was unarguable - was something I didn't want to remember.

My best friend's mistake.

It's hilarious how it hardly takes a summer for so much to change, just a single folly for everything to fall apart.

And fall apart it did, at the price of the Riverdalians' peace.

The current situation had given way for the most tragic incidents and there was so much worse in store that I couldn't even fathom.

But Archie's situation scared me. How much more stupid could he get because of his feelings for a woman he barely knew?

People romanticized love so much, that it made me gag most of the times. To depend on someone, to talk to them at least once a day, to cherish them in their entirety.

Yeah, I'd rather just stuff myself with burgers.

Yet, even through the painful atmosphere in this one horse town, people stepped out of the comfort of their houses just one more time.

Because tonight was an exception.

The majority of residents had planned picnics and reserved spots to watch the night sky, for after a decade of waiting, the shooting star would set the sky ablaze with it's vibrant colours.

Was it a symbol of a better future, or that we would - like the comet - come crashing down and disappear into the dark?

Well, I for one, couldn't care any less about a bunch of blinding objects dancing in my vision.

I had work to do.

Already distracted by my thoughts, I failed to notice the chimes hitting against the glass of the opened door.

And I definitely didn't notice the woman standing behind me.

"Juggie.."

I jerked back, hitting my head against the back of the seat and groaned in pain. The evening was dark and all I could see was the silhouette of a person.

When I cautiously glanced at my company, it was a face I knew all too well.

The tiny streek of light coming from the street bounced off her blonde curls and her azure eyes looked anything but alive, unlike her usual self.

"Betty..."

She rushed to my side, worry masking her beautiful features.

 _Don't_ , I thought to myself, watching her hand reach for the back of my head, massaging tiny circles with her slim fingers.

 _Don't give me hope where there is none._

Yet, for some reason, I could not shrug her hand off. It felt nice to be cared about for once in my life.

After what seemed like an eternity of bliss, she walked ahead and slipped into the seat across me with a glum expression.

I resisted the urge to question her, seeing as she definitely wasn't ready to talk about whatever was on her mind which I had an inkling involved a certain redhead.

I glanced at her from across the table, tracing every part of her with my eyes.

Golden locks fluttered softly in the wind, her cyan orbs drowning in tears. She pursed her lips to hold back a sob and rested her chin on her hand to support it over the table.

I unconsciously clenched my fists, digging my nails into the hollows of my palm to bite back a growl of annoyance.

Why her tears had me so riled up, I couldn't explain.

But hadn't it always been like this?

Betty cried because of Archie and I would soothe her pain. I was her best friend and Archie was the one she loved. For quite a while, I was happy with it like that.

But not anymore.

Her lips began to quiver and as a tear escaped her eye, I could barely control the urge to reach out to her.

"Betty?"

Her gaze drifted from the flickering street light to my barely illuminated face without a hint of emotion.

Was I slowly becoming an idiot?

She looked hurt, but at the same time emotionless and this was not the Betty I knew.

And loved.

Sighing, I shut my laptop, hoisting myself off the seat.

I looked over my shoulder at her quizzical expression.

"Let's go somewhere."

After a few seconds of silence where she contemplated my offer, the blonde slid out the booth and followed me out of the restaurant.

I walked down the winding road with her not far behind, possibly sticking close out of fear of the dark.

Or the killer on the loose.

"It's quite silent, huh?"

I simply nodded and taking that gesture as an invitation to talk (which it was) she stepped closer, now right by my side.

"So, how's the investigation proceeding?"

I side glanced at her, watching as she puffed out tiny clouds with every breath and rubbed her shoulders to keep warm in the frigid cold.

"It's... proceeding."

I had nothing else to say, given that there really wasn't much to investigate yet. All we knew was that Jason Blossom had tried to run away from his prison of a home on the 4th of July and had ended up shot and in the waters of the lake on the 11th of July.

God alone knows what the ginger had gotten himself into.

The rest of the walk was silent with an occasional shiver dragging my attention to her tiny frame.

All my senses were heightened, reacting to even a single movement from her. God, why?

As we slipped quietly into the woods, she began to slow down probably realising where we were headed.

As the trees cleared out - the mixing fragrances of various flowers filling the air and the rustling of the leaves accompanying our footsteps - she gasped.

"Juggie, this..."

The water sparkled in the moonlight, tiny ripples forming on its surface.

We strode down the rocky terrain, watching our step for twigs that we might trip on.

I stopped at about a feet's distance from the lake and smiled.

"Our hangout."

She bent down, feeling the water with her hand, a nostalgic smile finding its place on her visage, mirroring my own.

"We would come here all the time as kids!"

The gloom completely vanishing, she jumped around in sheer excitement, talking incesently about everything she could remember.

"And this is where Archie hit his head and then cried for four hours straight!"

I smiled at the glint in her eyes. She looked so happy and I could feel my heart soar.

"And..And... This is where I first met you, Juggie!"

She caressed the trunk of the old tree whose leaves rustled in joy.

"You remember?"

 _'The little girl who always spent time with my best friend.'_ That's what I had always thought of her as, until she came to me one day and sat down.

She had fired annoying questions one after the other.

 _'What are you doing?'_

 _'What is 'internet'?'_

 _'Why are you always alone?'_

Back then I had wanted nothing more than for her to shut up and now, I didn't want to see her quiet for even a second.

I wanted her to fill my dark void of a life with her beautiful words and paint it in her vibrant colours.

Jesus, what had I become?

"So many things have changed..."

I broke out of my trance to notice the smile slip off her face and her grip on the tree tighten.

Perhaps it was the calming atmosphere or the fact that it was none but the two of us, I spoke my heart out after decades of silence.

"People change, Betty. Lots of things are no longer as we remember them. But that's why we have these places, these memories."

I walked up to where she stood, sitting down under the tree, the same way I had all those years ago.

"They stand as a reminder for us that no matter who we become, our friendship will pass the test of time."

After a moment of complete silence, she sat down next to me, resting her back on the trunk and looking up at the dark sky.

"I was supposed to go with Archie and V today."

I bit my lip. She had finally decided to talk about what was bothering her.

"But I felt like a third wheel, you know? I felt like my presence was a disturbance.."

She paused, gulping down the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Archie... For some reason, seems to be chasing a life he can't have. It almost feels like he's running away from his past self. Almost as if..."

"He's going Jason's way?" I completed her sentence.

Our train of thoughts were on the same track and I felt at peace that it wasn't just me over thinking the situation.

The quiet of the night was comforting to the two of us, whose hearts had been in turmoil since last summer.

"Were you...lonely, Juggie?"

I raised an eyebrow at the seemingly irrelevant question. She straightened up, looking me in the eyes.

"Me and Archie...When we played, you always sat alone. Were you lonely?"

She had a point. While the duo always stayed together, laughing, jumping, playing, I sat under the shade of a tree mostly reading books all by myself. It wasn't that I didn't want to join them, just that I didn't know how to.

She looked more grievous and guilty by the minute, so I quickly formulated my answer.

"I had my favorite novels with me. There's no way I could be lonely."

Her shoulders relaxed and she heaved a sigh of relief.

"But,"

Since I was in a mood to empty my heart, I decided to give the whole truth to her.

"I wouldn't have minded some attention either."

She giggled, wrinkles forming near her eyes.

"Your message has been received."

A fake salute and thousands of words later, a light shine across the sky.

"Ah! We missed it!"

I smiled at her and looked at my watch.

"Three.."

She glanced at me in confusion.

"Two..."

I grinned at her.

"One."

The minute the hand struck twelve, a thousand tiny specks flit across the night sky like paint thrown on a canvas.

Awe stricken and excited, Betty jumped in her position, slinging her arm into mine and tugging on it like a little child who had just found a treasure.

Well, I had mine sitting by my side.

We sat till the end,crossing legs with each other, talking and occasionally laughing, making up for all the time together that we had lost, forgetting Archie and the rest of our worries for one glorious moment in our whole lives.

 _Humans are creatures born of hope._

If all will end as fate has written it, why then do we wish on a star ?

Why then do we put our faith in entities that have no proven existence?

We hang onto the last string of hope that binds us to life.

We crave the desires that sweet sin provides.

When clouds of disaster loom overhead, we beg for mercy.

Humans are creatures born of hope, but darkness overpowers all.

Yet, sometimes, maybe once in a million years, when the breeze brushes by and the black of the night is interrupted by a shining light, hope materialises.

The shower we saw that night was more beautiful than most, not because of its exclusive majesty, but the calm it brought to our screaming hearts.

But I know for a fact, that the budding feeling at the core of my soul wasn't thanks to the marvellous light show, but the soft whispers of the girl leaning on my shoulder, holding me close to her in the cold, dark night.

And I knew in that one moment, that I - although being the woman hater I was - could never ever in this entire lifetime, save myself from her.

And maybe, just _maybe,_ _**I**_ ** _didn't want to either._**

* * *

I hope you liked it! Thank you for reading and I looking forward to your reviews. Love y'all and hope you have a good day!


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